San Diego’s Jobless Rate Reaches 10.5 Percent

Friday, August 19, 2011

San Diego’s unemployment rate rose to 10.5 percent in July, up from a revised 10.4 percent in June as the region lost a net 6,000 jobs in the month and more job seekers were in the market, according to the state Employment Development Department’s Aug. 19 report.

San Diego was faring better than California, with an adjusted July jobless rate of 12 percent, second highest in the nation behind only Nevada’s 12.9 percent. The national unemployment rate for July was 9.3 percent.

In San Diego, government sustained the largest monthly decline with a net loss of 9,300 jobs mostly from seasonal layoffs in education. State and federal government had a combined 1,900 job net gain.

Three sectors also showed declines: educational and health services, down 1,300; other services, down 900; and manufacturing, down 700.

Four sectors added jobs with the largest coming from professional and business services, up 2,500; leisure and hospitality, up 2,300; and construction, up 1,100.

Over the 12 months to July, the region has gained a net of 20,100 jobs, or 1.7 percent over the total number of nonfarm jobs in July 2010. The three leading categories contributing to the gains were professional and business services, up 7,700; educational and health services, up 6,900; and leisure and hospitality, up 5,400.